Thursday, October 26, 2006

Russian Strategic Missile Test Fails

Agence France-Presse

Moscow (AFP): The Russian defence ministry said that a test firing Wednesday of a Bulava strategic missile from a nuclear submarine had failed, Interfax reported. The intercontinental missile malfunctioned shortly after being successfully test fired from the submarine "Dmitry Donskoi" in the White Sea off northwest Russia, the news agency quoted the Russian navy headquarters as saying. "Several minutes after the launch the missile strayed from its planned course. After this it seems the Bulava's self-destruction system went off and the missile fell into the sea," a navy representative was quoted as saying.

Another Bulava, which is planned as one of the lynchpins of Russia's nuclear arsenal, also malfunctioned during a similar test in September.

Four other tests have been successful, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

The first test firing of a Bulava took place in September 2005, RIA-Novosti said.